Rose Namajunas, above, punches Joanna Jedrzejczyk, of Poland, during a women's strawweight title mixed martial arts bout at UFC 217 on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2017, in New York. Namajunas won the fight.

Frank Franklin II, The Associated Press

The referee stops the fight, after which Rose Namajunas celebrates a win over Joanna Jedrzejczyk, of Poland, during a women's strawweight title mixed martial arts bout at UFC 217 Saturday, Nov. 4, 2017, in New York.

Joanna Jedrzejczyk, right, of Poland, stares down Rose Namajunas before a women's strawweight title mixed martial arts bout at UFC 217 on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2017, in New York. Namajunas won the fight.

Frank Franklin II, The Associated Press

Rose Namajunas is announced before fighting Joanna Jedrzejczyk, of Poland, in a women's strawweight title mixed martial arts bout at UFC 217 Saturday, Nov. 4, 2017, in New York. Namajunas won the fight.

Mike Stobe, Getty Images

Rose Namajunas
celebrates her victory over Joanna Jedrzejczyk of Poland in their UFC women's strawweight championship bout during the UFC 217 event at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 4, 2017 in New York City.

Rose Namajunas brought the Madison Square Garden crowd to its feet Saturday with a stunning victory over undefeated Joanna Jedrzejczyk to win the 115-pound belt.

Namajunas (7-3) used a devastating left that dropped Jedrzejczyk (14-1) and had the crowd in a frenzy in anticipation of a beatdown. Namajunas pounced on Jedrzejczyk with a series of lefts that ended the fight in the first round and perhaps signaled the arrival of a new star. She wagged her tongue and stretched her arms wide as she soaked in the magnitude of her accomplishment.

Namajunas, who trains in at 303 Training Center in Westminster, is billed as “Thug” and brought gasps a few years back when she shaved her long, blonde locks in favor of a close-cropped cut. She choked back tears as UFC President Dana White slapped the championship belt over her shoulder and the fans that had booed her on the way into the cage drowned her out with cheers as she spoke about what the victory meant.

The upset not only ended Jedrzejczyk’s undefeated run, but she failed to tie Ronda Rousey for the UFC women’s record of six straight successful title defenses.

Namajunas said that as champ, she wants to skip the brash trash talk that shot Conor McGregor to mainstream stardom and has been imitated throughout UFC, including by the champions Jedrzejczyk, Bisping and Cody Garbrandt leading into the card on Saturday.

“I’m just kind of sick of it. I’m sick of all the hate,” Namajunas said. “I feel like we have a duty as fighters to try to be a better example.”

White said he doesn’t need his stars to talk, especially when they fight like they did at UFC 217.

“People don’t come to these fights for the talk, they come for the fights,” he said.

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